The Court

Paul's face was that of exasperation itself as he walked into the New York City District Court in Manhattan that glorious August afternoon. He was dressed with graphite-coloured trousers and a grey short-sleeved button up shirt. His mouth was a thin line under his scrunched nose and his eyes wandered around, pensively.

Rhiannon went to meet him at the door. She had come to terms with him kissing her cheek every time they met. She was not about to start denying she actually enjoyed his nearness. He always smelt gloriously. Today he was warm from the street, he had probably walked here, since the courthouse was fairly close to his home. He also rode the subway if it was necessary. He almost never used his car.

Rhi was wearing a cream coloured formal dress which usually needed a blazer over it, but at this time of day, it was too warm to wear anything else. She had her hair up swept in a high bun and was wearing light make up.

- I swear if you weren't so pretty, I would've had a nervous breakdown by now. - Paul commented as they walked into the court. He had such a face on that it didn't come out as flirtatious, but as factual.

She looked up at him, when they were this close, he seemed much taller than her. She had meant to tell him to focus, but he seemed mortified enough, so she just kept walking. They sat side by side on the defendant's table. The plaintiff's was still empty, luckily.

- You only talk... - She reminded him.

- When I'm talked to. - He answered, like the good pupil he was.

- You don't...

- Raise my voice, show impatience or give too many explanations. - He went on.

Rhi smiled, satisfied, but he just sighed.

- Paul. - She whispered, putting her hand on his. - We have a strong case, this bloke isn't getting away with his lies, I promise.

He finally smiled, tiredly, and looked away, just in time to see Wilson walk in with his lawyer. He had his eyes on their holding hands, his face full of censure. Paul softly let go of his lawyer's hand and sat straight, as the judge and jurors started to take their places.

-

When everything both parts needed to know about the procedures had been clarified, Rhi calmly stated her defence and Paul hardly had to intervene, he just groaned "yes" or "no" when he was asked certain things. The judge said both parts needed to gather and present their witnesses and proof in the next hearing.

When they walked out, he seemed in a better mood. Of course he knew how good his lawyer was, but he was now impressed at how compelling her ways on court were. He had seen her be awkward around him and overrefined most of the time, but here, she seemed in her element.

- Wow, you really ARE good... - He commented admiringly as they walked to the front door of the courthouse.

- Well, that's what you pay me for. - She answered and they glared at each other, smiling as he opened the door. - You were not that bad yourself either...

She stopped short, as they were greeted by a dozen journalists screaming questions, shoving microphones, cameras and what not into their faces. Paul grimaced and closed the door again.

- I should've known... - Rhi whispered, taking him by the elbow to guide him to another door. - This way, quick.

They went into a series of corridors and finally made it out to a parking lot, where she had left her car. 

- I'll have to drive you home, hope you don't mind. - She said, clicking the buttons to open her Jaguar.

The sole idea of facing journalists nauseated Paul and he shuddered.

- I'd rather be skinned than talk to those pricks.

- I thought as much. - She smiled. 

She drove quickly the couple of blocks that separated them from his Battery Park building and came to a sudden halt in the car lobby.

- Care to grab a late lunch? - He tried.

Rhi shook her head.

- You know better than anyone that the paparazzi are heading this way as we speak and you don't want to give them more to work with, right? 

He shrugged and exited the car after thanking her and kissing her cheek one last time.

- I'll call you. Next hearing will probably occur in a month or so, I'll talk to your tour manager. - She said before he closed the door and watched him in her rear mirror as he put his hands in his pockets, seeing her drive away.

She sighed. A month without the client.

-

Rhi was not jealous, possessive or insecure. She knew that, as much as her fiancé was one of the most searched for bachelors in the city, he would hardly find someone better than her to marry. Maybe she was too arrogant to accept there could be a woman who could compete with her. 

This is why she was completely taken aback by a message she saw flash on Lee's phone one Saturday afternoon in late September, when they were having a coffee in SoHo and he had gone to the bathroom. Last night, he had gone to a charity ball in the Hamptons, and she couldn't join him because she had come down with the flu. He had said it had beeen boring as always. All the more reasons to be utterly shocked when she saw someone named "Jo" write him "Last night was wonderful x"